


Ashes In My Wake

by three_days_late



Series: Febuwhump 2021 [22]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, Burns, Crossover, FebuWhump2021, Fire, Firebender Sanji (One Piece), Firebending & Firebenders, Gen, Self-Worth Issues, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-12 15:55:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29637042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/three_days_late/pseuds/three_days_late
Summary: Sanji’s rage was like a wildfire: hot, out of control, and destroying everything in its path. Most of the time he could control it. As for the rest of the time...
Relationships: Usopp & Vinsmoke Sanji
Series: Febuwhump 2021 [22]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2139261
Comments: 6
Kudos: 55
Collections: febuwhump 2021





	Ashes In My Wake

**Author's Note:**

> This is actually part of a larger Avatar AU I have that I think about constantly all the time but never write anything for. Until today!
> 
> For the [Febuwhump](http://febuwhump.tumblr.com/) day 22 prompt: Burned.

Fire bending, as any young firebender could tell you, came down to emotions.

Of course there were the techniques and the forms and the breathing which all made up the art of bending fire, but the fire from deep within any firebender always came out with emotions.

Sanji had a lot of emotions, and all of them burned hot. They were volatile and often outside of his control, so he had to work extra hard to keep his fire in check.

Most of the time, he succeeded.

The rest of the time, well.

He can’t even remember what he and Usopp had been arguing about. The mushrooms he never ate no matter how well Sanji cooked them, maybe. It didn’t matter.

What did matter was that Sanji lost his temper, bad.

One moment he was yelling at Usopp, calling him everything from worthless to useless to a miserable failure that can’t even wipe his own ass without help, words meant to hurt. He was cursing and shouting and stomping around the forest, not even noticing how everything smoldered under his feet.

The next, everything was on fire.

The fire spread quickly from him to the dry grass to the trees. It quickly took on a life of its own outside of Sanji’s miniscule control, surrounding them in flames and smoke.

He stared at what he’d created in horror. If Zoro and Luffy were here, they could put the fire back under control with their earth bending. If Nami was here, she could blow it out with her air bending.

If he had been born a water bender like his mother, something useful and good, he could have actually helped instead of spreading destruction everywhere he went.

But it was just Usopp and him with his fire that started this whole shitshow.

“Usopp,” he turned to look at him, but he was staring at him with wide eyes, afraid of the monster that he’d become.

A stray flame was heading towards him. Sanji pushed him to the ground and intercepted it, dispelling it with a quick maneuver.

“Get out of here,” Sanji snapped at him. The smoke was already starting to get to him, and it must be even worse for Usopp, “Now.”

But Usopp didn’t leave. He had his shirt up over his nose and mouth, made sure to stay close to the ground, and didn’t leave Sanji’s side.

He glanced around helplessly as the flames devoured everything around them. They were going to die and it was all his fault.

_Pathetic_ , a voice sneered in his head. _What a waste of fire you turned out to be._

Sanji’s rage boiled over. He wasn’t going to die here, and he certainly wasn’t going to let Usopp die here.

If this fire came from him, then he had to bring it back.

He lashed out in front of him with his flames until they came in contact with the out of control ones, spreading through them until he regained control of part of the fire. He breathed deeply, ignoring the urge to cough as he inhaled mostly smoke, and started to drag the edge of the fire back towards him, shrinking it as it went. When he had a clear path ahead of him he exhaled, let go, inhaled once more, and lashed out to grab another bit of the fire to do the same.

Eventually, bit by bit, he had the entire fire back under his control and down to a small group of flames. With one last exhale and a downward sweep of his arms, he put those out as well.

The exhaustion set in immediately and he collapsed to the ground, coughing out excess smoke.

Usopp was by his side in seconds, handing him his water canteen. Sanji took a few sips from it and handed it back quickly. Unable to look him in the eye, he buried his face in his hands.

Usopp drank from his canteen as well. When he was done, he fiddled with the cap and glanced around the burnt clearing, “I’m sorry.”

Sanji glanced up at him between his fingers, “What?”

“This was my fault, I shouldn’t have made you so mad,” he dragged the toe of his shoe through the ash on the ground, and Sanji’s heart stopped when he caught sight of the burns on his arms, “You’re right. With no bending I am pretty useless.”

Ice spread through his veins, dispelling any last vestiges of his anger. His fire and his rage were the only things he inherited from the man who never wanted him, but that was enough to become him.

“First of all, my emotions are not your responsibility,” he said, “It’s my fault I lost control, not yours. You have nothing to apologize for.”

“Yeah, but-”

“Second of all,” he continued, “Who gives a shit if you can’t bend? Who gives a shit if you’re _useful_? You’re our friend, and we’d want you around no matter what.” His vision blurred, his head growing light, and he placed a hand to his forehead, “I burn down forests and hurt my friends. I wouldn’t call that useful. You though, you can do things the rest of us can’t. You’re you, and you contribute in your own way.”

“You stopped the fire,” he said as he handed him the canteen again, “That’s useful.”

“I stopped a fire I started,” he took a sip of water, “That’s just taking responsibility.” He gave the canteen a shake, “You brought water. That’s useful.”

“That’s logical.”

“I didn’t bring water.”

“Well, you’re a firebender,” he shrugged, “You’re not thinking about things like water.”

“Exactly,” he handed him the canteen, “You think of things that benders don’t. That’s not just useful, that’s vital.”

“Yeah, well,” he shrugged and kicked at a rock that was buried in the ash.

“And I’m sorry,” he nodded at his arms, “For burning you. For getting so out of control.” He sighed and leaned back, “I gotta control my temper.”

Usopp let out a weak chuckle, “That’s an understatement.”

Sanji let out a full bellied laugh and collapsed backward into a pile of ash, “Ah, shit. I’m tired.”

Usopp nudged him with his foot, “Y’know, you’re not as terrible a person as you think you are.”

He appreciated the sentiment, but knew better. He was made for violence and destruction, and although his creator abandoned him, those aspects were still very much a part of his being.

“Thanks,” he said anyway.

“Can you stand?”

He sat up, getting dizzy for a moment, and waited for the world to settle before saying, “Not really.”

“C’mon,” Usopp extended a hand which he took gratefully. He helped him to his feet and ended up supporting most of his weight, “Let’s get back to the others.”

Sanji didn’t think he was a good person. But maybe if he could control his fire and use it to protect Usopp and the rest of his friends, he could be someone worthy of them.

Maybe he couldn’t be good, but maybe he could be better.


End file.
